Preview: Vanguard Exiles (PC)

Oh man, here we go again, diving into Early Access land. It’s kinda like that funky flea market where you stumble across treasures, but sometimes, you know, you end up with a bag of half-working stuff. Anyway, seems like things are shifting. Used to be a bit of a mess — developers dropping vaporware, getting paid to… well, mostly do nothing. But hey, stigma’s lifting, cool stuff’s popping up. This time, I’ve got my eyes on Vanguard Exiles. Sounds promising! Maybe I’m just a total sucker for new games. Whatever.

So, Vanguard Exiles comes from the crew behind Magic: The Gathering — gotta admit, that’s some brainpower right there. But this isn’t about cards. No, not this time. We’re talking hex-grid battles, like a board game come to life. I kinda wonder if we’ll see this in stores someday, with those really expensive figures. If yes, I’m already planning to snag a copy, because why not?

Okay, okay, worth noting — this is just a sneak peek. Vanguard Exiles is in Early Access, so it’s not the full package yet. Some things I might grumble about? Might not even be there in the future. Issues now could disappear any day. But right now — RNG, man, RNG. Drives me nuts, sometimes. More on that later.

You’re gonna lead some mercs through mazes of trenches. Capture rooms, keep ’em secure, tally up points. First to hit eighty points wins. But these rooms ain’t all the same — some boost your power, others maybe have a bear ready to fight (yeah, seriously). You gotta pick smart, can’t grab everything. Strategy is key.

So, auto-battler, yeah? Love ‘em or hate ‘em, it’s in there. Strategy isn’t just about where to move — it’s about how you spread your forces. Flood an area with units, you might win it, but what about elsewhere? Go thin, might not hold up against tougher odds. Speaking of which, not all auto-battlers are lazy. This one feels neat, not like those slapdash ones.

Oh boy, units! Loads of them, and you won’t get ’em all at once. In between rounds, you draw cards, spend gold to get cooler units. If you’re broke? There’s always a free option. But don’t kid yourself, it’s not about playing cards. Just a means to an end.

Enjoying it? Mostly. But… story mode? Where art thou? Different factions, dwarves, elves, some creepy cult folks. But why are they battling? What’s their deal? Without a good story, it’s just a bunch of cool figures smashing each other. Story fluff would be nice, though. Adds depth.

And the balancing, ugh — sometimes it feels off. One moment, you’re winning; next, not even a chance. Kinda projects that ‘you’re gonna lose’ vibe from the start. Happens a lot, I just reset. It’d be great to feel competitive throughout, regardless of my final standing.

One peeve: Immortal units — like, seriously? Especially some tanky dwarves. Unless you’ve got beefy units from go, you’re stuck in a stalemate. What’s the point of a battle if nobody can hurt each other? It’s kinda annoying.

So, despite my (slightly) grumpy review, Vanguard Exiles is shaping up nicely. I’ll keep a lookout — could be a treat for strategy lovers. Just a bit more polish and story goodness, and we might have a hit. Watching how this develops, crossing my fingers for something phenomenal.

Tried this with an Early Access copy, courtesy of the publisher. Buzzing to see where it heads next!